Among the positives to be noted during the delay in our full economic recovery, one bright spot would be the staying power of the impression made in your role as community bankers. You’ve saved jobs and small businesses across Virginia and beyond through the last twenty-plus months. Employers and employees alike continue to mention that, as challenging as things are now, they would have been in catastrophic condition had their PPP loan not come through expeditiously, and in many cases, been forgiven.

Your energy, sacrifice and commitment to your customers and communities have produced well-earned goodwill for you and your bank. The results have been both intangible and tangible. Just today, I heard a comment that I had heard several times before: “My big bank couldn’t serve me, so I found a smaller bank who worked with me to make it happen. I’m very happy working with them now.” I’ve also heard community leaders across the Commonwealth singing the praises of their community banks.

And, of course, as all of your stories stay relevant and impactful, so does your community bank association’s ability to share them with key decision-makers in Washington, D.C.

This “wind in our sails” is most needed now, as we battle an unusually large number of threats to our ability to serve our customers and communities in the manner they deserve. Only part of what we’re taking on includes:

• The IRS reporting proposal
• An alarming nomination for leadership of the OCC
• A proposal to allow direct lending to businesses by the SBA
• Challenging new requirements to provide the CFPB with additional data on small business loans
• A postal banking pilot project in Virginia

We can only win on these issues if we have your best efforts. You have generated a palpable measure of goodwill; we must call on it now for the benefit of our banks, our customers, and our communities. Over the next few months, we’ll be calling on you often to participate and recruit others to participate as well, to lift your voices among those who represent you in Congress.

You have engaged with profound impact before; I am confident that we can prevail again, working together.